"It has cost me more, the betrayals of my own supposed friends, than the acts of my enemies," Correa said. "If these acts of betrayal and disloyalty go on, I will tender my resignation."

The president, who describes himself as a "left-wing, humanist, Roman Catholic," stated that the Ecuadorian Constitution defends life from the moment of conception and that the National Development Plan "for which the Ecuadorian people voted" did not include the decriminalization of abortion.

"Where do we say we should decriminalize abortion? On the contrary, our constitution pledges to defend life from the moment of conception," Correa said in a television interview broadcast on Thursday evening.

The National Assembly is now in the final stage of debates to change the Penal Code. Some of the other proposals being looked at include tougher prison sentences of up to 40 years and specific legislation regarding crimes against women.

The death penalty and life sentences are also banned by Ecuador's constitution.